Top Congress leader joins BJP in Gujarat

MEHSANA: The Gujarat unit of the BJP today effected an upset in the Opposition Congress by successfully wooing former minister and influential Chaudhary community leader Mr Vipul Chaudhary to join the saffron party.

The move made by Bharatiya Janata Party, faced with a major rebellion, comes a few months away from the ensuing Assembly elections. Mr Chaudhary, a close confidante of Union textile minister Mr Shankarsinh Vaghela, who had left BJP 12 years ago, along with his mentor, following a split, joined the party at a public function held to unveil a statue of Motibahi Chaudhary, founder of Dudhsagar Dairy, now one of the biggest dairy in Asia.

The function was attended among others by BJP general secretary Mr Arun Jaitley, chief minister Mr Narendra Modi and state unit party president Mr Purshottam Rupala. 

Currently, the chairman of Dudhsagar Dairy, Mr Vipul Chaudhary is quite popular amongst his community, who have a sizeable presence in four districts of North Gujarat. 

The support of Chaudhary community will be crucial to chief minister Mr Narendra Modi in view of the dissidence movement within the ruling BJP, launched particularly by the leaders of Patel community, who enjoy a considerable political clout in the state.

In his speech, Mr Chaudhary praised the administrative acumen of Mr Narendra Modi

Responses